Just imagine sending a similar response to an agent...
Copyright www.truckerfun.com
Sunday, 30 November 2008
If only we could all do this...
Just imagine sending a similar response to an agent...
Copyright www.truckerfun.com
Friday, 28 November 2008
Updated Website
I am so exhausted I can barely type so this is just a quick one to let everyone know that I have updated and refreshed my website www.emmashortt.co.uk
This bout of websiteitis was induced by an agent telling me one of the main reasons he replied so promptly to my submission was because he liked my website... ooh I thought and skipped across to have a look... and then stayed there until the early hours of this morning re-freshing and re-spunking.
I've also taken on board some advice given by our Litopian agent, things such as navigation, clarity etc. I hope it's a lot easier for everyone to get around now and more importantly enjoy.
Let me know what you think.
This bout of websiteitis was induced by an agent telling me one of the main reasons he replied so promptly to my submission was because he liked my website... ooh I thought and skipped across to have a look... and then stayed there until the early hours of this morning re-freshing and re-spunking.
I've also taken on board some advice given by our Litopian agent, things such as navigation, clarity etc. I hope it's a lot easier for everyone to get around now and more importantly enjoy.
Let me know what you think.
Tuesday, 18 November 2008
The Thud of Fear
It is the sound that strikes fear into the heart of every writer, the sound then sends your stomach dropping to your knees and the 'OHGODNOTAGAIN' reflex kick into action. It is a sound now burned into my brain.
The Thud of the rejection on the floor. (Yes I'm capitalizing it - it's worth a capital T! The emotion alone that sound enduces demands a capital.)
I'm now on my fifth Thud - I escaped three thanks to a late postie. Those lovelies involved a phone call from my teen, 'Erm mom... there's like a brown envelope and erm it's, well, I think it's a rejection - shall I open it?' Chewage of lip, shudder ever so slightly, it might be good news, it might, it might!!! 'Yes open it, read it, quick, quick WHAT DOES IS SAY??'
Suffice as to say the 'it might' turned quickly into 'it isn't'.
I have found two Thud created reactions within me. The first is a defensive type retort, well yeah ok but you'll be sorry one day, you'll so regret refusing me!Just wait till I sell millions! The second, why, why, what did I do wrong, why don't you like it? Can't you see what I see? Two very different reactions but in essence both the same.
8 rejections, 8 Thuds - when is it all a Thud too many? Well the answer is not quite yet, my teen had some rather comforting words for me today. 'Mom you will get published one day - of course you will! Someone will snap you up... the chances are you'll be mad by then from all the rejection and stuff and I'll have put you in a mental institute but don't worry I'll make sure you have a computer so you can write more books.' 'Yes,' I replied, 'but no one will buy books from a mad author.' 'No that's fine,' she assured me, 'I'll take the credit for all your work - you know as a favour...'
As that didn't quite bring me the feelings of joy she intended this little quote did:
"No one put a gun to your head and ordered you to become a writer. One writes out of his own choice and must be prepared to take the rough spots along the road with a certain equanimity, though allowed some grinding of the teeth."
Stanley Ellin
Either or - but the Thuds can take that!
The Thud of the rejection on the floor. (Yes I'm capitalizing it - it's worth a capital T! The emotion alone that sound enduces demands a capital.)
I'm now on my fifth Thud - I escaped three thanks to a late postie. Those lovelies involved a phone call from my teen, 'Erm mom... there's like a brown envelope and erm it's, well, I think it's a rejection - shall I open it?' Chewage of lip, shudder ever so slightly, it might be good news, it might, it might!!! 'Yes open it, read it, quick, quick WHAT DOES IS SAY??'
Suffice as to say the 'it might' turned quickly into 'it isn't'.
I have found two Thud created reactions within me. The first is a defensive type retort, well yeah ok but you'll be sorry one day, you'll so regret refusing me!Just wait till I sell millions! The second, why, why, what did I do wrong, why don't you like it? Can't you see what I see? Two very different reactions but in essence both the same.
8 rejections, 8 Thuds - when is it all a Thud too many? Well the answer is not quite yet, my teen had some rather comforting words for me today. 'Mom you will get published one day - of course you will! Someone will snap you up... the chances are you'll be mad by then from all the rejection and stuff and I'll have put you in a mental institute but don't worry I'll make sure you have a computer so you can write more books.' 'Yes,' I replied, 'but no one will buy books from a mad author.' 'No that's fine,' she assured me, 'I'll take the credit for all your work - you know as a favour...'
As that didn't quite bring me the feelings of joy she intended this little quote did:
"No one put a gun to your head and ordered you to become a writer. One writes out of his own choice and must be prepared to take the rough spots along the road with a certain equanimity, though allowed some grinding of the teeth."
Stanley Ellin
Either or - but the Thuds can take that!
Wednesday, 12 November 2008
The first and the third
I recently started my new project, it's tentatively titled Fallen Angel and already I'm in love it. Before you ask I will confirm that yes it is another teen romance because despite being a bitter old cynic I can't seem to stop writing them.
So far this project had been interesting in more ways than I bargained for. All my projects so far (bar one and it doesn't count) have been written in the 1st person. I've always really liked this style because it allows me to really get inside my main characters head - I can put across all her feelings and hopes and dreams (it's always a she) but Fallen Angel has two main characters, Astrid and Sebastian and I wanted to write from both of their POV's.
Ha ha you say - you know where I'm going with this then. Well first off I 1st POV'd them both, to me it was all perfectly clear - I knew who was who, what was what and how Sebastian and Astrid were thinking etc - and if I knew then of course everyone else would yes... well actually no. I posted these first very rough chapters in my house at Litopia for crit and the message was CONFUSION! Who is who? Which bits are Astrid, which are Sebastian - clearly it was not working.
Some sage advice, much thrumming of fingers on keys, sighing at monitor and eating too many caramel crunchies later and I came to the inescapable conclusion that I was gonna have to 3rd POV the lot. So I have.
And this is what I have learnt, it is far harder to write in the 3rd person than it is to write in the 1st. 1st person POV is almost like diary writing, you can just waffle on, pretend you're the character and it all word vomits out - 3rd person POV is not like that at all. You have to think a lot more about your prose, you have to think about the clarity of it - it can't be all he thought, she said etc you have to really labour on it.
Fallen Angel is going to be a very interesting experience for me and I have no doubt that it is going to improve my writing skills tremendously. I'm several chapters in now and already I can see that it reads better from this change... so the point of this rambling post - well it's just to say to all those 1st POV addicts out there that sometimes it's worth thinking about doing something different even if it is more challenging.
Instead of aiming for 1st - hit a 3rd!
So far this project had been interesting in more ways than I bargained for. All my projects so far (bar one and it doesn't count) have been written in the 1st person. I've always really liked this style because it allows me to really get inside my main characters head - I can put across all her feelings and hopes and dreams (it's always a she) but Fallen Angel has two main characters, Astrid and Sebastian and I wanted to write from both of their POV's.
Ha ha you say - you know where I'm going with this then. Well first off I 1st POV'd them both, to me it was all perfectly clear - I knew who was who, what was what and how Sebastian and Astrid were thinking etc - and if I knew then of course everyone else would yes... well actually no. I posted these first very rough chapters in my house at Litopia for crit and the message was CONFUSION! Who is who? Which bits are Astrid, which are Sebastian - clearly it was not working.
Some sage advice, much thrumming of fingers on keys, sighing at monitor and eating too many caramel crunchies later and I came to the inescapable conclusion that I was gonna have to 3rd POV the lot. So I have.
And this is what I have learnt, it is far harder to write in the 3rd person than it is to write in the 1st. 1st person POV is almost like diary writing, you can just waffle on, pretend you're the character and it all word vomits out - 3rd person POV is not like that at all. You have to think a lot more about your prose, you have to think about the clarity of it - it can't be all he thought, she said etc you have to really labour on it.
Fallen Angel is going to be a very interesting experience for me and I have no doubt that it is going to improve my writing skills tremendously. I'm several chapters in now and already I can see that it reads better from this change... so the point of this rambling post - well it's just to say to all those 1st POV addicts out there that sometimes it's worth thinking about doing something different even if it is more challenging.
Instead of aiming for 1st - hit a 3rd!
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